Separate the first 'A' from NASA?

James Davis is not running for Congress, nor is he among the field of Republicans hoping to replace President Barack Obama.

A retired NASA engineer, Davis lives on the shore of Lake Erie, about 20 miles west of Cleveland.

His resume includes 17 years at Langley Research Center in Hampton, roughly 25 years at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, and one year at the agency's Washington, D.C., headquarters.

During a recent phone conversation, he suggested that NASA separate aeronautics — the study, design and manufacturing of aircraft — from NASA's better known work of exploring the solar system.

Aeronautics could be become part of the Federal Aviation Administration, he suggested. That led me to wonder if some of NASA's science programs could be folded into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

It's possible, Davis said.

The reason for such speculation: Politicians (Newt Gingrich, most recently) have criticized NASA as a floundering agency. They argue — somewhat correctly, according to Davis — that NASA is laden with bureaucracy.

There has traditionally been a rift in NASA between aeronautics and its better-funded cousin, space exploration. It doesn't help that NASA centers spend an inordinate amount of time competing for work, Davis said.

"The fact that we have a mixed mission creates conflict within NASA," he said.

The conflict could be eliminated, and presumably more work could be accomplished, by making NASA an agency solely focused on space, he said.

Lori Garver, NASA's second in command, has heard this argument before.

Competition between NASA centers is a good thing, Garver said. It pushes NASA researchers to do the best and most cost-effective work.

And while the FAA works in aeronautics and NOAA in earth science, they don't have the expertise that NASA does, Garver said.

Other NASA officials, especially former Langley employees who cherish the center's early days in aeronautics research, agreed with Garver. They noted that NASA's best known space exploration programs, such as Apollo and the space shuttle, are rooted in Langley's wind tunnels.

Davis didn't disagree with their points, but said it's a discussion worth continuing.

HL-20

A few dozen NASA Langley researchers were honored last week for their work on the HL-20, a sort of mini-space shuttle that never made it into space.

The spacecraft, tested at Langley during the 1980s and 1990s, is the model for Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser, which the company hopes to use to take astronauts to the International Space Station.

Contact Nealon at 247-4760 or cnealon@tribune.com. For more science and environment news, read The Deadrise blog at dailypress.com/deadrise.